how can I make it financially through the lpn program?

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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I was supposed to start the lpn program this Jan but there was one huge road bump that stopped that from happening this. So I'm hoping next Jan I can make it happen BUT i'm really worried how we are going to survive financially. We are struggling so bad right now and me & my boyfriend both work as much as we possibly can. We don't qualify for any assistance since our state goes by gross income (what a bunch of bs). And we also have a 2 yr old to support. The program is M-F, 8 hrs a day so it's basically like working a full time job but in all actuality I won't be able to work full time cause I need time to study & spend time with my son. I'm going to over borrow as much as I can on my loans cause I have no other options. If u have or are in the same boat as me please tell me how u make it work!!!!

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I am wondering the same thing, Can you get extra on your student loans to help support yourself....I would also have to not work which in no way could we live off just my husbands income.

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You can borrow more than you need to on your loans if you have to, as long as the funds are there. I know for the one loan you can borrow up to $9,500 & the other one I think it's $5,000. I was approved for a grant of $5500 as well but my tuition is already $12,000 & that doesn't include the cost of books or uniforms. My program is a yr so I could borrow $5,000 again throughout the yr. I just hate the thought of owing a **** ton of money back. I already owe $13,000 for getting my dental assisting diploma which was a total joke. Wish I would have just went to school to be an LPN in the first place.

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Specializes in LTC.

I got loans. I still don't remember how I made it through LPN and RN school. I was so broke. God got me through.

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I just don't like owing all of that money back. I will be paying it back till the day I die but I guess it's worth it to make a better life for me & my son.

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Specializes in Med/ Surg/ Telemetry, Public Health.

I say get the max loans you can and go through your program. Don't be like me I was in the LPN program a couple of years ago. I didn't utilize my loan options and I was so stressed about bills, and to make matters worse it got to me and I failed the program by a half of a point. I was constantly worried about my rent, car payment, utilities, food, and gas to get to school. My mind was somewhere else, plus I am a single parent. I was only working two days. When I got paid I had to give half of my pay check to the baby sitter for watching my daughter. With all that said do what you have to do financially to be less stressed. I plan on going back, I am trying to get into the Fall 2012 ADN program, and you can believe that I am going to get all the loans I can, because I will only be able to work one day. Best of luck to you and let us know what you decide.

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My situation was similar to yours. I was supposed to start my LPN program in January,but I had a balance left over after loans and pell grants. I didn't want to start and wasn't able to make payments,especially when I'm not working. I had to put it on hold until I came up with a plan that would get me back into the program for the next session. I researched some grants in my town and I was told that they start taking apps in March, then my advisor told me classes start in March if I can retake my accuplacer test over and test out of math/english that I will be able to eliminate the developmental courses completely,which saves me about $5k! I will be doing my CNA so I can work part time on the weekends as much as I can, anything helps at this point. I say just try to look into any scholarships/grants in your area, trust me I thought I wouldn't find any and I came up with 3. One will take care of my tuition and provide me with a stipend of at least 5,000 a month for living allowance and as long as I work at a facility of their choosing 6 months after I graduate it does not have to be paid back. Everything will work itself out!

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wow, really? U found a place that will give u 5,000 a month? I've never even heard of that. Is this through your school? If I was getting that much a month I wouldn't even have to work. I can't find anything like that around here.

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Not through the school at all( I wish..lol). I happened to do a google search on scholarships and came across it, looked it up and call to verify the information. Everything checked out and the lady told me to call back around March for application and deadline infoi. Usually your state has some type of scholarships and grants some maybe difficult to get while others just need you to fill out an app and send it back with requested info.

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if you can, save some of your tax refund. thats the only way i was able to do the program. i saved from a month after i left my job, sept to feb, when i'd file income taxes again. i saved only my monthly rent amount. my bf worked and paid everything else, light, cable, water bills. eating out, shopping and movies were limited. grocery bills were slashed as well. no more ice creams, cookies and sodas. its not easy for my two boys either. they both wanted to join sports but i just couldnt afford the registraion fees, uniforms and then time for practices. no way that'd happen. i also took out school loans. i was apprehensive at first but when your winter electric bill arrives, all apprehension flies out the window!! i also found a girl who'd just comleted the program before me to sell me her books at a fraction of the new price. and other girls to sell me their uniforms, shoes and what not. good luck !

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